Merchant’s Son Humiliated an Apprentice — But Her Father Owned the Trading House
Chapter 14
On the tenth anniversary of Anna’s arrival, Hawthorne & Sons held a dinner.
Merchants came from distant ports.
Captains attended.
Former apprentices returned.
Among them was a young clerk who had recently joined the company.
He wore a coat too large for him.
His boots were cracked.
He kept his eyes lowered.
During dinner, one wealthy merchant made a joke about him.
“Perhaps we should teach the boy to eat with a fork before letting him near the ledgers.”
A few men laughed.
Anna heard it.
She stood.
The room became silent.
She walked toward the young clerk.
“What’s your name?”
“Thomas, ma’am.”
“How long have you worked here?”
“Four months.”
“Have you found any accounting errors?”
He hesitated.
“Two.”
“Good.”
The merchant laughed.
“Two?”
Anna looked at him.
“Would you prefer he find none?”
The man’s smile disappeared.
Anna turned to the room.
“Ten years ago, I stood in this company wearing a dress that looked much like his.”
She glanced toward the old oak table.
“I was told to know my place.”
No one spoke.
“That day, I learned something.”
She looked at Thomas.
“The poorest person in the room may be the only one paying attention.”
Elias stood beside her.
“And the richest person may be the one who needs correcting.”
Laughter broke across the room.
Even Anna laughed.
The young clerk smiled.
He would remember that night.
Just as Anna remembered the day she had been humiliated.
